The Washington Commanders are on the ropes with a rough beginning to their annual summer training camp. Star wide receiver Terry McLaurin has been a no-show for the first four days of camp while he pursues a long-term extension. His absence has sparked fears over the Colts’ offensive preparedness just three weeks ahead of the season opener.
At the time of his reporting, McLaurin had been put on the physically unable to perform list, leaving the Commanders’ preparations even more muddled. He becomes the fourth important offensive player to have missed significant practice time this summer. The other three are Noah Brown, Brandon Coleman, and Sam Cosmi. This has greatly stunted the herd team’s ability to craft their offensive game plan and develop chemistry on the field.
What he did last season was prove his immense value to the Commanders. He finished second in the NFL, with 10 touchdown receptions overall, and 10 red zone touchdowns. His 13 total touchdowns this season are a career-high, 12 of those coming in the form of receiving passes from quarterback Jayden Daniels. Daniels posted a perfect Total QBR (100) when targeting McLaurin in the red zone. Overall, he pieced together a dazzling QBR of 90.6.
Offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury emphasized the importance of McLaurin’s presence on the field, stating, “You don’t have [the] projected top two outside receivers and both your projected inside pieces at guard.” He emphasized that McLaurin’s absence along with a number of other players is hurting the productivity of this year’s training camp. Consequently, it’s a disappointment even set against last year’s exceptional performance.
Kingsbury expressed urgency regarding the upcoming season, noting, “That’s something we have to get to over the next three weeks.” He acknowledged that with last season’s experience, there is hope that McLaurin’s understanding of the system will help expedite the process once he returns.
The Commanders’ offense has sputtered without McLaurin, hampering what has been a strong start to training camp on his end. The issues surrounding regular participation from all the big players involved have led to doubts as to how prepared they are for an imminent season opener.
Brown has been dealt a bad hand, missing most of the year while coming back from a knee injury he suffered in the spring. Coleman has been injured ever since he hobbled off the field on Aug. while Cosmi is working his way back from a torn ACL.
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